


Upon This Rock

by ElectraRhodes



Series: The Lighthouse [2]
Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Epistolary, Hannibal and his ridiculous levels of planning, M/M, Season 2-4, Secrets, Symbology, The Lighthouse Backstory, Will and Peter’s Friendship, Will isn’t immune from doing a bit of planning either, codes, hagiography
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-09-26 09:42:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 1,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17139455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElectraRhodes/pseuds/ElectraRhodes
Summary: Long after the social worker in the horse Will Graham and Peter Bernadone stayed in touch.This is part of the backstory to the Lighthouse (a season 4 story) which will finish up this week. It ties up a few threads, and maybe illuminates a few other matters.As a Christmas bit of fun, there’s a hidden code inserted in the fic. First person to get it right wins a Hannibal themed prize. I’ll post anywhere.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LoveHonorCookie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoveHonorCookie/gifts), [resoundingecho](https://archiveofourown.org/users/resoundingecho/gifts), [rodabonor](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rodabonor/gifts), [elisalika](https://archiveofourown.org/users/elisalika/gifts).



> For six people who, over the last year, talked on twitter or tumblr about a Will and Peter friendship story.
> 
> Cookie, Mae, Nis, Aleandriseie, Beatrice and Cole-Slaw
> 
>  
> 
> This series of fourteen short chapters is also raising money for HIAS as part of the 2018 TwelvetideDrabbleChallenge.

Evidence item tagged #293

Postcard shows two river otters playing in a pool. Stamp is continental US. Date stamp illegible. Handwriting confirmed as Graham. W.

Text reads:-

‘Dear Peter,

I’m hoping this finds you comfortable. The place looked ok. Warm at least. And with plenty of food to go round if you take my meaning. Hope your friend has found a way to fit in. Hope you have too. 

I guess somebody told you we got him? Yeah. We did. You did. And thanks for that. I think you schooled him. You’d be glad to know, unlike him, we let the bird go free.

Yours,

Will Graham’


	2. Chapter 2

Evidence item tagged #451

Envelope with handwritten address to Bernadone. P Handwriting confirmed as Graham. W. Snr. Postmarked Continental US dated 12/20/14

Christmas card. Available from range of commercial outlets.

Insert two Polaroid instant photographs. Property in background identified as in ownership of Graham. W Wolf Trap Virginia. Photograph a. Depicts Graham. W and Lecter. H and six canines. Canines identified as belonging to Graham. W. Photograph b. Depicts Graham. W and Bernadone. P and seven canines. Meteorological and other markers suggest same date.

Fingerprints on images and notecard identified as Graham. W, Lecter. H, and Graham. W. Snr.

Text of card reads.

‘Dear Peter,

I thought you’d like these. A reminder of happy times together. Happy Christmas to you. Be seeing you soon.

Will Snr.’


	3. Chapter 3

Evidence item tagged # (number not legible)

Handwritten postcard. Handwriting confirmed as Lecter. H Postmark Firenze (Florence) Italy   
Dated Otto (Oct)/15

Card depicts Painting of a Saint, Brancacci Chapel Florence (post-it note affixed identifies painting as by Masaccio ‘St. Peter healing the sick with his shadow’)

Fingerprints on card confirmed as reception staff at St. Hugh’s Halfway House Baltimore and Bernadone. P No other prints in system (ref. To Interpol. No flags.)

Text of card reads:

Dear Peter,

God does work in mysterious ways. We shouldn’t forget that, even now. I commend the Gospel of Matthew to you in these challenging times. Might I suggest Ch:16; V:18 any translation will do. Though some offer more poetic insight than others. And I should tell you that you remain as inspiring to our mutual friend as your name-saint. Be well Peter. You are remembered fondly.

Sincerely,

Hannibal Lecter


	4. Chapter 4

Will Graham Snr wraps the scarf more tightly round his neck and tucks the ends in inside his coat. He hunches a little into the woolly warmth. It’s a simple thing, just a 4 by 5 rib, knitted sideways, with a spring to it. 

The colour suits him too, kind of a moth brown. Maybe with some sympathetic magic in there to keep them away he hopes. 

Good Peter. He remembers him knitting it. The effort he went to. The help Will had given him, to cast on, show him the stitches. Knitting and pearling away. How to bind off. He had thought, back then, that Peter would knit something for Will, maybe for the boat. Instead he’d been given this long length of love stitched tight.


	5. Chapter 5

The social worker at St. Stephen’s handed Peter the print out of the email.

‘Dear Mr. Bernadone,

Please be assured that all items belonging to you as per receipt number #23/18/6 will be returned once they are no longer part of the forthcoming federal prosecution. You will know that Dr. Hannibal Lecter has been accused of multiple counts of murder. I am aware that this may be distressing for you as you may have considered him a friend. I can promise you the photographs and personal items are locked away unless needed in court.

Sincerely.

Agent. S. St. John.’

_ _ . . . . . . . _ _

She watched his face, and then took the piece of paper back when he’d finished reading it.

“Ok?”

He simply shrugged.


	6. Chapter 6

Peter took the snap from his pocket. The police had taken most of them the day before, but not this one. Maybe they just believed he hadn’t got it in him to be deceptive. If so, it had worked to his advantage this time.

The Polaroid showed Will Graham and Dr Lecter, close. Mr Graham smiling, relieved, and the doctor, with a curled lip, which Peter knew meant he was pleased.

He didn’t know who had taken it. Or when. The doctor looked bruised and bloodied. They both did.

He ran a finger round the edge of the photograph. In the background there were columns and fine stonework. Maybe a church or cloisters. Something grand.

He flipped it over. He still didn’t recognise the handwriting on the back.

. . . - - - - - - - . . . . . . .


	7. Chapter 7

Evidence item tagged # Original number illegible.

Brown mock leather appointment diary calendar year ‘14. Handwriting throughout confirmed Graham. W.

Insert single Polaroid photograph: subject confirmed Bernadone. P. and Lecter. H. background features river and trees, absence deciduous leaf and ice suggests winter. Subjects are wearing waders, hats, scarves, warm jackets and gloves. Bernadone. P holds a fishing rod. Lecter. L holds a bucket towards the camera. Nothing on reverse. Prints confirmed as Graham. W.

. . _ _ _ _ . . . . _ _

Diary entry text reads.

Dec 25 Confirm?? Fishing. Bait?? Check boots. HL to collect PB. Dad bringing spare rods. Sign off from SW needed for PB??? Ask.

_ _ _ _ _ _

 

The agent read the entry again, and peered hard at the photograph as if to pan something more from it. He made a note in his own small diary.


	8. Chapter 8

Peter slipped the news cutting back into the fold of his thin wallet. He kept it there as a talisman. Something to remind him that monsters come in different guises and shapes. And that not all of them are your personal fuel for nightmares no matter what the feds said.

The red haired reporter had written it. She was ok to him. Up front. A certain kind of honesty that he could at least parse. She hadn’t given it to him. That was some social worker trying to help him see.

The Great Red Dragon. She’d shown him the photos. Both the painting and the guy left spreading on someone’s patio. Ignominious he thought. She’d said so too. An ignominious end.

Not if he could help it though. Not for Mr Graham.


	9. Chapter 9

Evidence Item: #19/25 

Letter: Handwriting confirmed as Graham. W. Prints on letter confirmed as Graham. W and Bernadone. P. No envelope but letter dated to 6/13/15

Text reads:

‘Dear Peter,

I’ve asked Dad to give you this. I know you wouldn’t try and tell me otherwise but the less you know right now the better. I have to go. I know it’s all kinds of not sensible. But you know how it is, the shadow has to follow the thing that casts it. You see that don’t you. I think you always did.

Dad’s not happy about it either. But I think he understands. Be kind to him? Please. Like you would a wounded bird. We’re all a little hurt. I think you know that too. I’ll be in touch when I can.

Your friend,

Will’


	10. Chapter 10

Peter looked out of the window of his room. He’d managed to put back all the items that had been taken from him. The Agent had made good on his promise. Which was something.

He put his hand up in front of his face, he knew it was trembling, even though he didn’t look at it straight on.

They’d even given him the postcard, he wasn’t sure they would, he thought it was too honest somehow. Some bad painting of St Benedict. It was postmarked in Palermo. He’d looked it up in the Atlas in the library of the half way house. Sicily. You could get there by boat. He thought Mr Graham probably had. It had the numbers 15 and 12 and 23 on but he couldn’t tell if they were meant to mean anything or not. Maybe a map reference? An incomplete one. He still knew maps.


	11. Chapter 11

He stuffed the timetable into his pocket. And then looked up at the enormous departures board hanging above the entrance to the platforms.

16:25 to Vilnius via some place-name he didn’t recognise, maybe an abbreviation or a local version of some place that everyone here would know.

He hoisted his small bag over his shoulder. 

This leg of the journey would take maybe 13 hours. 

He took a deep breath. Committed now. He pulled the timetable out again and took the card that had been tucked in the back and looked around for a post box. Committed? Yeah. It looked that way.

The picture of La Primavera with a date two weeks hence and a time on it went in the mail.


	12. Chapter 12

In the background Bedelia was speaking of something that probably he should pay attention to. His focus though was entirely on the card in his hands.

He turned it over again.

Considered the workings of that unparalleled mind. Spring? Rebirth? New beginnings? Or Botticelli? What of him?

But maybe he was overcomplicating things. He huffed a small noise. He checked the numbers against his pocket diary.

The 13th? And a Friday too. 12 o’clock.

He smiled. And then tucked the card into the music on the piano. He didn’t think Bedelia knew Will’s handwriting but she could still surprise him. Even now.


	13. Chapter 13

The social worker, the one Peter liked, brought Will Graham Snr into the small sitting room.

“You won’t be disturbed here. All right Peter. Here’s Mr Graham for you.”

Will Snr sat down in the chair beside him.

“I bought some cake and stuff. Thought we could have a kinda party. You know. To celebrate.”

Peter rocked in his chair, hugging his knees. 

“He sent me a puzzle square. Lots of number 5s, six of them. You know what that means?”

Will Snr. Shrugged.

“Other numbers too?”

“Some. Enough”

“Grid reference then? You thought of that? Yeah. You did. He give you a date as well?”

Peter shrugged.

“Maybe.”

Will Snr sighed. This might get worse. Or it might get better. It depended.


	14. Chapter 14

Hannibal sat at the small table in his room and opened his laptop. He scanned down the incoming messages. One of them caught his eye. He smiled slightly as he read the email with the encrypted image attached. He opened it. It was a screen shot of a still from a CCTV camera. There was a dated time stamp on it 1.18.18 He recognised the room set up and decoration; a private hospital room, Johns Hopkins.

He smiled more widely.

“Very clever Uncle Jack. Very clever indeed. I’d almost say well played.”

On the other side of the room Will looked up from his reading.

“Peter was right then. Bedelia or Alana?”

Hannibal turned in his chair.

“Why not both?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks very much for reading!
> 
> The prompts for each day were pretty specific and gave me a certain amount of mental ache to make them fit here.
> 
> However I hope I’ve given you enough to work the message out. Good luck! Either leave a message here or find me on Twitter electra_rhodes
> 
> Have a great 2019! Filled with reading joy.


End file.
